Question 1098072
basic idea is to get the unknown variable that you want to solve for on one side of the equation and everything else on the other side.


the basic rule for solving equations is that, whatever you do to one side of the equation, you have to do to the other.


this particular problem is solved in the following manner.


start with 85 - 6x = 44 + 15x


add 6x to both sides of the equation to get:


85 - 6x + 6x = 44 + 15x + 6x


combine like terms to get 85 = 44 + 21x


subtract 44 from both sides of the equation to get:


85 - 44 = 44 + 21x - 44


combine like terms to get 41 = 21x


divide both sides of the equation by 21 to get:


41/21 = 21x/21


simplify to get 41/21 = x


your original equation should be true when x = 41/21.


to confirm, replace x with 41/21 in your original equation and evaluate it to see if it is true.


original equation is 85 - 6x = 44 + 15x


when x = 41/21, this becomes 85 - 6 * 41/21 = 44 + 15 * 41/21


simplify to get 85 - 246/21 = 44 + 615/21


multiply both sides of this equation by 21 to get:


21*85 - 21*246/21 = 21*44 + 21*615/21


simplify to get 1785 - 246 = 924 + 615


combine like terms to get 1539 = 1539 which is true.


the solution is confirmed to be good.


the solution is that x = 41/21.